There is a current need to remove carbon dioxide from spacecraft habitats, space suits, such as EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Units), during Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA), as well as to remove carbon dioxide from combustion processes. For EVA applications, carbon dioxide is captured in absorbent materials and later transported back to earth for disposal. Likewise, similar methods are followed when the carbon dioxide is captured within the spacecraft.
Carbon dioxide created during combustion processes is believed to be a contributor to global warming and could be greatly reduced if a significant amount of the carbon dioxide could be captured within a power plant and not released to the surrounding atmosphere. In fact, the captured carbon dioxide may actually be put to useful applications. For example, carbon dioxide is currently pumped into oil wells to provide for secondary recovery of crude oil. In addition, carbon dioxide is being considered for microalgae cultivation, which could be co-fired with coal. Results of investigations indicate several positive results. Carbon dioxide is also being considered for production of methane from deep unreachable coal seams as well as to enhance biomass production.
Conventional immobilized liquids have been known to be volatile and would tend to evaporate when confronted by long-term exposure to the vacuum of space. For that reason, immobilized liquids generally cannot be utilized as an interface between an EMU and space. Other applications, such as removal of carbon dioxide from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants would volatilize the immobilized liquids.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternatives for carbon dioxide removal.